A 30 GW subnanosecond solid-state pulsed power system based on generator with semiconductor opening switch and gyromagnetic nonlinear transmission lines.

This article describes a subnanosecond solid-state pulsed power system in which an input pulse from a generator with a semiconductor opening switch (generator) is amplified in power and is shortened in time by a two-stage magnetic compressor based on gyromagnetic nonlinear transmission lines. In this approach, the line of each stage operates as a magnetic compression line (MCL) which is realized when the duration of the input pulse is close to the period of oscillations generated by the line. The compression system contains two series connected lines MCL1 and MCL2 with a wave impedance of 40 Ω. The input pulse has a duration of 7 ns and an amplitude of 500 kV. After two compression stages, the pulse amplitude increases to 1.1 MV and the peak power increases from 6 to 30 GW, while the pulse duration transits into subnanosecond range (0.65 ns). In the burst mode, the system operates at a pulse repetition frequency up to 1 kHz.

Semiconductor sharpeners providing a subnanosecond voltage rise time of GW-range pulses.

The article describes semiconductor sharpeners providing a subnanosecond voltage rise time of GW-range pulses. The sharpeners are made as stacks of series-connected dynistor structures built into an oil-filled coaxial line with 48 Ω wave impedance at the place of an inner conductor. Two sequential sections of pulse sharpening are used. An input voltage pulse has the amplitude of 540 kV with the rise time of ∼1.2 ns at 0.2-0.9 level from the amplitude and voltage rise rate of ∼0.3 MV/ns. After pulse propagation through the sharpening sections, its rise time is reduced down to 360 ps, and the voltage rise rate is increased up to ∼0.95 MV/ns. Peak power of the sharpened pulse is within the range of 4.5-5.5 GW. The sharpeners are tested at a pulse repetition frequency of up to 1 kHz. Sharpener operation is studied by numerical simulation methods. Experimental waveforms of output pulses and the corresponding calculated voltage-time dependences are in statistical agreement.

A 6 GW nanosecond solid-state generator based on semiconductor opening switch.

In this paper, a nanosecond all solid-state generator providing peak power of up to 6 GW, output voltage of 500-900 kV, pulse length (full width at half maximum) of ∼7 ns across external loads of 40-100 Ω, and pulse repetition frequency up to 1 kHz in burst operation mode is described. The output pulse is generated by a semiconductor opening switch (SOS). A new SOS pumping circuit based on a double forming line (DFL) is proposed and its implementation described. As compared with a lumped capacitors-based pumping circuit, the DFL allows minimization of the inductance and stray capacitance of the reverse pumping circuit, and thus, an increase in the SOS cutoff current amplitude and generator output peak power as a whole. The pumping circuit provides a reverse current increasing through the SOS up to 14 kA within ∼12 ns. The SOS cuts off the current in ∼2 ns; the current cutoff rate reaches 7 kA/ns. The SOS braking power (the product of peak voltage and cutoff current) for an external load above 100 Ω is 13 GW.